Portugal

State of the art

The Portuguese National Energy Strategy is define by the Cabinet Resolution nº169/2005, of 24th October and is set on the basis that the Portuguese energy scenario is characterized by a strong external dependence, with an energy demand growth rate significantly higher than GDP growth rate, and an energy system largely dependent on fossil primary sources (i.e. oil, natural gas and coal).

The Strategy having the following main goals, determines the main policy guidelines and most relevant measures for the energy sector :

• To guarantee the security of energy supply, through the diversification of the primary resources and energy services and energy efficiency promotion ;
• To stimulate and favour competitiveness, in order to safeguard the consumers ? rights as well as the competitiveness and companies efficiency ;
• To ensure the complete energy process environmental sustainability, through the reduction of the environmental impact at local, regional and global scales.

This Strategy foresees the reorganization of the energy sector, mainly through five action axis, to be operacionalized through measures and legislative instruments, namely :

(i) the liberalization of gas and electricity market ;
(ii) the establishment of two major competing operators in the gas and electricity sectors ;
(iii) the development of a single transmission system operator for gas and electricity ;
(iv) a strong promotion for the development of renewable energy ;
(v) a plan implementation for the increase of energy efficiency.